Devices that fire frangible projectiles are known in the art. For example, marking guns (commonly known as paintball guns or paintball markers) typically use compressed gas to propel frangible projectiles. The frangible projectiles commonly have a gelatinous or plastic shell designed to break upon impact. Typically, the shells are filled with a marking material, such as paint, and/or an immobilizing material, such as a noxious chemical.
These types of devices have a wide variety of applications. For example, a popular recreational use is in paintball games, in which opposing sides attempt to seek out and “shoot” one another with paintballs. Frangible projectiles have also been used to segregate cattle within a herd. Likewise, law enforcement personnel employ frangible projectiles with immobilizing materials for crowd control.
Periodically, these devices must be cleaned, serviced and/or repaired. When this happens, the device is typically disassembled, which can be a complex and timely process. Therefore, there exists a need for a paintball marker that more easily provides access to internal components for maintenance and servicing.